The Clemson football program awaits NFL decisions from a few juniors as it looks ahead to the 2020 season. Here’s our predictions for what will happen.
The Clemson football team fell short to the LSU Tigers Monday night in the National Championship game.
As a result, the Tigers’ 29-game winning streak and opportunity to win back-to-back National Championships all came to an end.
Even though many Clemson football fans are frustrated with the loss, the truth is that the Tigers will be right back in the thick of things next season. Clemson will be one of the favorites to get back to the CFB Playoff and could very well be back in the game next January.
That being said, there are a few Clemson football juniors who have NFL decisions looming as we look towards the 2020 season.
At this point, WR Amari Rodgers already announced he would be returning. There have been no indications from LB James Skalski (RS Jr.) or any others that they are considering making a jump to the NFL, though there can always be a surprise or two.
That leaves a total of four juniors with legitimate NFL decisions to make.
Here’s our prediction for what each Clemson football junior will decide when it’s all said and done.
4. CB A.J. Terrell
We’re beginning our list with the junior who is probably most likely to stay.
A.J. Terrell told the media before the Ohio State game that he was leaning towards heading to the NFL, but he hadn’t made up his mind for sure.
In the National Championship game, Terrell was out-manned and beaten on several occasions by LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase.
That certainly hurt his draft stock and may have him taking a second look at the NFL.
Still, there are some players who are just ready to make the jump. They may not be quite there physically, but they have already moved on mentally. I’d really like to see Terrell come back and think he could benefit from another season, but I don’t think that’ll be the case.
Prediction: Turns Pro
Chance of Return: 30 percent
3. WR Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins played through some pain during the last two CFB Playoff games and Clemson football fans should be appreciative for what the wide receiver has accomplished during his career.
That being said, Higgins has an opportunity to be a potential first-rounder- at worst second-rounder- in this coming year’s draft.
He could come back and improve his draft stock, potentially becoming the top wide receiver taken, but I don’t think he has much else to prove, other than potentially getting that degree- something he promised his mother he’d do.
The good thing, though, is that Higgins will always have that scholarship to come back and complete his degree at a later point following his NFL career because he’s going to go pro, in my opinion.
Higgins had an outstanding season and he’s going to be a high selection in this coming year’s draft.
Prediction: Turns Pro
Chance of Return: 5 percent
2. RB Travis Etienne
Travis Etienne has floated the idea out that he could be returning.
He has consistently shown nothing but love for the Clemson football program and it’s clear that he wasn’t happy with the result Monday night against his home state school LSU.
That being said, I don’t see anyway that Etienne returns next season.
He has already broken the school’s all-time rushing record and really has nothing left to prove, unless he just wants to go out on a high-note.
Etienne will be one of the top 3-4 running backs taken in the draft, though I believe he should be the first, and has an opportunity to work his way up into the middle-part of the first-round. Certainly, he’ll be a second-round pick.
Prediction: Turns Pro
Chance of Return: 5 percent
1. LB Isaiah Simmons
Isaiah Simmons hasn’t officially declared for the NFL Draft at the time of this writing, but he is going to and there’s no reason he shouldn’t.
Simmons was the most versatile defensive player in the nation this season and he’s a consensus top-10 pick in this coming year’s NFL Draft.
Simmons will test well at the NFL Combine and during Pro Day, and could very well move up into the top-5 before it’s all said and done.
He proved to be one of the best to ever play the position for Clemson football and that’s a credit to the combination of his freakish athleticism and physicality.
Prediction: Turns Pro
Chance of Return: 0 percent
Maybe one of these four juniors surprise Clemson football nation- as Christian Wilkins did a couple of years ago- but that doesn’t appear to be the case as we head down the stretch. Tiger fans should appreciate what each one of these guys meant to the program and what they contributed during their respective careers.